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Bernhard Rietzl

I am interested in the combination of art and mathematics especially number theory. Prime numbers can be seen as the elements of the whole numbers, compound numbers literally are the products of these basic elements. It is like in chemistry where the chemical elements are the basis for all compound molecules.

Goldbachsche Röhren (Goldbach tubes) demi-grosse

80 x 12 x 12 cm

Coloured HDF with lights; decorations: HDF, wood, acrylics

2017

Christian Goldbach (* 1690 in Königsberg/Prussia; + 1764 in Moscow) was a mathematician, who is known for his conjecture, the Goldbach conjecture, that every even number >= 4 can be expressed through the sum of two primes. This could not be proven yet.

The Goldbach tubes show the pairs of primes, that add up to a given even number. The smaller tube is placed inside the larger one. If you place the zero of the outer tube over an even number of the inner tube, light shines from the inside through the two holes, which represent the primes, that add to a two primes` sum of that even number.

The tubes are coloured in gold ( for Gold-) and blue (for -bach, which means "little river" in German). Decorations can be applied to the tubes.